Device for washing soft drink syrup containers

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE FOR WASHING SOFT DRINK SYRUP CONTAINERS COMPRISING A CABINET HAVING A WASHING COMPARTMENT PROVIDED THEREIN WITH A PLURALITY OF WASHING STATIONS MOUNTED THEREIN, EACH OF WHICH ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT AND WASH A SYRUP CONTAINER MOUNTED THEREON. EACH WASHING STATION IS DESIGNED SO AS TO WASH THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF THE INVERTED SYRUP CAN MOUNTED THEREON. EACH WASHING STATION IS CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF RISE WATER, CAUSTIC AND AIR TO PERMIT THE RINSING, WASHING, AND AIRING OF THE CONTAINERS IN THE DESIRED SEQUENCE. THE DESIRED SEQUENCE IS REGULATED BY A CONTROL MEANS WHICH CAUSES THE RINSE WATER, CAUSTIC AND AIR TO BE SELECTIVELY DIRECTED ONTO AND INTO THE CONTAINERS. MEANS IS PROVIDED TO CONSERVE THE CAUSTIC FOR FURTHER USE AND FOR PREVENTING THE RISE WATER FROM MIXING OR DILUTING THE CAUSTIC.

United States Patent [72] Inventors John G.Courtney 2,244,040 6/1941 Alexander 134/95X 214 West Misouri Ave.; 2,575,493 11/1951 Hilliker 134/96 Mfles F. Qhgncellor, 1 both 2,969,073 1/1961 DuBroff 134/103X Memphis, Mo. 63555; Paul R. Chancellor, 3,070,104 12/1962 Faust et al. 134/ 1 70X RFD, Rutledge, Mo. 63563; Kenneth E. 3,173,433 3/1965 Wynne et a1 134/170X m FORElGN PATENTS [21] AppLNo. l 4 [22] File Aus'281969 119,149 11/ 9 4 Australia 134/98 [45] Patented June 28, 1971 Primary ExammerDanie1B1um Anomey-Zarley, McKee & Thomte 0 SOFT DRINK SYRUP [54] ggxff sgg ABSTRACT: A device for washing soft drink syrup containers 6 Claims 6 Drawing Figs comprising a cabinet having a washing compartment provided therein with a plurality of washing stations mounted therein, [52] US. Cl 134/95, each f which are able to support and wash a syrup container 134/96, 134/99, 134/ 103, 134/17 mounted thereon. Each washing station is designed so as to llll. wash the exterior and interior of the inverted syrup can B67: mounted thereon. Each washing station is connected to a 0 sure. ource of rinse water caustic and air to the rinsing 58(1)) 95, 98, 101, 102, 1 166, washing, and airing of the containers in the desired sequence. 141/91 92 The desired sequence is regulated by a control means which causes the rinse water, caustic and air to be selectively [56] References cued directed onto and into the containers. Means is provided to UNITED STATES PATENTS conserve the caustic for further use and for preventing the 2,225,946 12/1940 Arey l34/58(R) rinse water from mixing or diluting the caustic.

u \f"! r- '3 c: :3 I 1. 1 I I 1 H4 1 1 I I g l g I k a4 l l2 1 a l l I l i \i i "'1": l 1 56 I I I I2 I /50 \\i/ 5 /il 1 l ,6 I //6 I J 5 A 82 y l3 A o e 38 3a Z 5o 43 44 1, 3,4 70 M a 5 i 6K T 8 a 73 PUMP V 1....- i/ 2 50 I l I I H I I I I I I I 1 "Ii ZO PATENIEDJuuzs m: 34587597 sum 1 or 2 5v f w im DEVICE FOR WASHING SOFT DRINK SYRUP CONTAINERS Syrup cans or containers are generally employed in those vending machines which dispense soft drinks into cups or the like. The syrup is mixed with carbonated water to provide a fresh soft drink to the customer. The syrup containers are reuseable and must be thoroughly cleansed prior to such reuse. Much difficulty has been encountered in economically and efficiently cleaning or washing the syrup containers.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to pro vide a device for washing soft drink syrup containers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for economically and efficiently washing soft drink syrup containers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for washing soft drink syrup containers including means to conserve the caustic for reuse.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device for washing soft drink syrup containers including means for preventing the rinse water from diluting the caustic.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for washing soft drink syrup containers which washes the exterior and interior thereof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device for washing soft drink syrup containers which permits the simultaneous washing ofa plurality ofthe containers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for washing soft drink syrup containers including means to prerinse the containers to remove the residue therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for washing soft drink syrup containers including means for positively removing caustic from the containers.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device for washing soft drink syrup containers which automatically rinses, airs, washes, airs, rinses and airs the containers.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device for washing soft drink syrup containers which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofthe device ofthis invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view as seen along lines 2-2 FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the washing stations which are mounted in the washing compartment;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view as seen along lines 44 ofFlG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the washing stations; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the circuitry ofthis invention.

The numeral 10 refers generally to the device of this invention, the components of which are enclosed in a cabinet 12. Cabinet 12 includes a top 14, sides 16 and 18, front 22 and back 23. A vertically movable door 24 is mounted in front 22 and slides upon guides 26 and 28. A washing compartment 30 is provided in cabinet 12 behind door 24 and includes a sloped drain floor 32 extending between front and back 22 and 23 from wall 16 towards wall 18. As seen in FIG. 2, floor 32 has a discharge opening 34 formed therein adjacent wall 18.

A vertically disposed wall member 36 extends upwardly from bottom between front 22 and back 23 to define a caustic compartment 38 having an electric heater 40 provided therein. As seen in FIG. 2, cabinet I2 is provided with a sump portion 42 defined by wall members 44 and 46. A sloped drain floor 48 extends between the upper ends of walls 46 and 48. Compartment 38 is provided with a sight glass 50 to permit the visual determination of the caustic level therein. The numeral 52 designates a caustic pump having an intake pipe 54 extending therefrom which is in communication with the lower interior of compartment 38. The lower end of sump portion 42 has a drainpipe 56 extending outwardly therefrom. As seen in FIG. 2, a rotatable valve member 58 is selectively movable from the position indicated by solid lines to the position indicated by broken lines so that liquid flowing from drain floor 32 will be directed towards sump portion 42 or compartment 38 respectively.

Rinse water line 60, which is connected to a source of water, extends into cabinet 12 and has a solenoid operated valve 62 imposed therein. Pump 64 is provided in line 60 to increase the water pressure flowing therethrough. Line 60 is connected to a vertically disposed pipe 66 at 68 with a check valve 70 positioned between 68 and pump 64 to prevent the flow ofliquid from 68 towards pump 64.

The numeral 72 refers to a pipe which is connected to a source of air (preferably compressed air) and which has a check valve 74 imposed therein. Pump 52 is connected to pipe 66 by pipe 78 which has a check valve 80 mounted therein. The upper end of pipe 66 is positioned in compartment 30 and has a vertically disposed rectangular-shaped conduit 82 connected thereto. Conduit 82 comprises a bottom section 84, upstanding section 86 and top section 88. Top section 88 has a plurality of spaced-apart pipes 90 extending transversely therefrom at one side thereof and a plurality of spaced-apart pipe 92 extending transversely therefrom at the other side thereof. Each of the pipes 90 have spray nozzles 94, 96 and 98 mounted thereon while the pipes 92 each have spray nozzles I00, 102 and 104 mounted thereon to spray liquid and air downwardly therefrom as seen in FIG. 4.

Positioned below each of the pipes 90 and 92 is a container support and spray assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 106. Inasmuch as all of the assemblies 106 are identical, only one assembly will be described in detail. Assembly 106 includes a pipe 108 which is connected to and extends transversely outwardly from section 84. Spray nozzles I10 and 112 are positioned adjacent the outer and inner ends of pipe 108 and are adapted to spray liquid or air upwardly and inwardly towards the exterior surface of container 114 at approximately a 45 angle. Upstanding pipe 116 extends upwardly from pipe 108 between nozzles and 112 and has a spray nozzle 118 at its upper end which is positioned or received in the interior of container 114. The numeral 120 refers to a support mounted on pipe I08 as seen in FIG. 5 to provide a means for supporting the container 114 in the inverted manner seen in FIGS. 2 and 4.

Flexible pipes 122 and 124 are connected to pipe 108 adjacent the inner ends thereof (FIG. 5) and extend outwardly therefrom. Pipes 122 and 124 have couplings I26 and 128 at their outer ends which are adapted to be connected to the fittings or couplings I30 and 132 respectively which are found on practically all of the syrup containers used in the soft drink dispensing machines. The couplings 130 and 132 are adapted for connection with the dispensing and gas lines respectively of the conventional dispensing machine. As seen in FIG. 2, coupling 130 is connected to a pipe 134 which is positioned in the container 114.

Door 24 is vertically movable by means ofa motor 136 connected thereto by suitable cables or the like. A door switch 138 is provided on cabinet 12 which is activated by door 24 when the same is in a raised or up position. A door switch 140 is also provided on cabinet 12 which is closed by the door 24 when the door is in its lowered or closed condition.

In the wiring diagram of FIG. 6, the numerals 142 and 144 refer to the 220 volt, three-phase motors which drive pumps 52 and 64 respectively. The numerals I46 refers to a doublepole, single-throw relay which is connected to the 220 volt solenoid 148 which operates valve 76. A double-pole, singlethrow relay 150 is connected to solenoid 152 which operates valve 62. Double-pole, single-throw relay 154 is connected to the H0 volt caustic drain solenoid 156 which operates the valve 58. The numeral 158 refers to a three-phase caustic pump motor start switch having a heater I60 associated therewith while the numeral 160 refers to a three-phase water pump motor start switch having a heater 164 associated therewith. Switches 158 and 162 are connected to the relays 166 and 168 as illustrated in FIG. 6. The numerals 170, 172, 174 and 176 and 178 refer generally to switches which are controlled by a clock timer 180 connected to clock switch 182, and solenoid 184. The numerals 186 and 188 refer to pushbutton switches connected to a fuse 190 and the source of power generally designated as 192. A starting switch-194 and door switch 196 are also provided in the circuit as seen in FIG. 6. Motor 136 is connected to a reversing switch 198 imposed in the circuit. Fuse 200 is also provided.

In operation, the container lids are removed and the containers are inverted and placed in compartment 30 in the manner seen in the drawings. Thev couplings 126 and 128 on each of the washing stations are connected to couplings 130 and 132 respectively. The down" door switch 188 is then pressed which allows the door 24 to slide straight down to close the cabinet 12. Starting switch 194 is then manually closed which causes the solenoid 184 to activate the clock timer 180. Clock 180 causes switch 172 to close which causes solenoid 152 to open and activate the water pump motor 144. The solenoid 152 stays open until the water pump motor 144 is deenergized. It should be noted that the clock 180 will also have closed the switch 178 to cause the solenoid 156 to move the valve member 58 to the position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 2. Rinse water is pumped through the line 60 upwardly through the pipe 66 into conduit 82. The water is then forced outwardly at each of the washing stations as illustrated in FIG. 4. Rinse water is sprayed upwardly and towards the exterior of the containers 114 through the nozzles 110 and 112 while nozzle 118 sprays water into the interior of the container. Water is also forced into the interior ofthe container through the pipes 122 and 124 via the couplings 126, 128, 130 and 132. The water passing through coupling 130 causes pipe 134 to be cleansed. Water is also forced downwardly around the top and exterior of container 114 through the nozzles 100, 102 and 104. Thus, during the initial rinsing operation, the syrup residue is rinsed from the exterior and interior of the containers. The rinse water and the residue collected therewith falls downwardly onto drain floor 32 and into the opening 34. Valve member 58 causes the rinse water to pass into sump portion 142 and outwardly through the drainpipe 56. After the containers have been rinsed for a predetermined length of time, the clock 180 opens switches 172, 174 and 178 to halt the prerinsing operation and to rotate the valve member 58 to the position illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 2. The clock 180 then closes the switch 170 so that the solenoid 148, which controls the flow of air into pipe 66, will be energized to blow excess water from the containers. If desired, the air being directed into and onto the containers could also be preheated if desired to aid in drying the moisture thereon. After air has been forced into and onto the containers for a predetermined length of time, clock 180 opens switch 170 to halt such airflow. Clock 180 then closes switch 176 to cause motor 142 to operate the pump 52 so that caustic is drawn through a pipe 54 and forced upwardly through pipe 78 into pipe 66 as was the rinse water. The caustic will run down the drain floor 32 and valve member 58 will cause the caustic to flow into the compartment 38 by means of the drain floor 48. It can therefore be appreciated that the caustic will be conserved for repeated use since the valve member 58 prevents the same from passing outwardly of the device through the drainpipe. The heater associated with the caustic compartment will have previously heated the caustic to the predetermined or required temperature so that the washing operation is satisfactorily performed. The caustic is forced into the container as well as the exterior surface as was the rinse water. After a predetermined wash time, clock 180 opens switch 176 and closes switch 170 to stop the caustic washing action and to force air into and onto the containers as in the previous airing operation. The airflow into and onto the containers aids in removing the caustic material therefrom. When the air cycle is complete, the switch 178 is operated by the clock 180 to move the valve member 58 back to the position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 2. The rinse water cycle is then repeated. After the rinse cycle is complete, an air cycle is again performed as before. The air cycle aids in removing excess water from the containers as previously discussed. The clock 180 then shuts off the starting solenoid 184 through the switch 182 to end the complete cycle which preferably takes about nine and onehalf minutes.

Thus it can be seen that a unique device has been provided which economically and efficiently washes the syrup containers. The fact is that means has been provided for conserving the caustic results in the containers beingcleaned in a much more economical manner than heretofore possible. The air cycle as well as the valve member 58 prevents the rinse water from mingling with the caustic material so that the caustic will not lose any of its strength. The prerinse cycle described herein removes the residue from the containers to aid in increasing the subsequent washing action by a caustic material. The air and rinse cycles after the caustic washing cycle insures that the caustic will be removed from the containers. The configuration of the washing stations and the nozzles provided therewith insures that the interior and exterior of the containers will be efficiently cleaned to remove any residue therefrom. The design of the washing stations insures also that the couplings and 132 as well as the pipe 134 on the containers 114 will also be properly cleaned during the washing operation.

After the final air cycle, the door 24 is raised and the containers 114 removed therefrom. Thus it can be seen that an extremely novel and efficient device has been provided for washing soft drink syrup containers. The device therefore accomplishes at least all ofits stated objectives.

We claim:

1. A container washing device, comprising:

a cabinet having a washing compartment therein;

a plurality of container supports in said compartment each being adapted to support a container in an inverted position;

a plurality of spray nozzles adjacent each of the container supports adapted to spray fluid into the interior of the container and onto the exterior of the container;

a first pipe means interconnecting the spray nozzles at each of the supports;

said washing compartment having a drain floor positioned below said container supports, said drain floor having a discharge opening formed therein through which passes the fluid which has been sprayed on the containers;

a caustic compartment in said cabinet in communication with said discharge opening;

a sump area in said cabinet in communication with said discharge opening;

a valve member in said discharge opening adapted to selectively direct the fluid flowing from said drain floor into one of said caustic compartments and said sump area;

said sump area being connected to a drainpipe;

a second pipe means fluidly connecting said caustic compartment and said first pipe means;

a third pipe means fluidly connecting said first pipe means and a source of rinse water;

a fourth pipe means connecting said first pipe means and a source of air under pressure;

a first pump means connected to said second pipe means for pumping caustic to said spray nozzles;

a second pump means connected to said third pipe means for pumping rinse water to said spray nozzles;

and a control means connected to said pumps, valve member and air pressure source for selectively rinsing, washing and airing the containers, said valve member selectively causing the sprayed caustic to flow back into said caustic compartment for subsequent reuse and causing said rinse water to flow into said sump area.

2. The device ofclaim 1 wherein one of said spray nozzles is received in the interior ofeach ofsaid containers.

3. The device, of claim 2 wherein a plurality of first spray nozzles are positioned above the upper end ofeach of the containers and a plurality of second spray nozzles positioned below the lower end of each of the containers, at least some of said first and second spray nozzles directing fluid onto the exterior of the container.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein first and second couplings are fluidly connected to said first pipe means adjacent each of the containers, said first and second couplings adapted for connection to first and second container couplings to enhance the washing, airing and rinsing of the container interior.

5. The device ofclaim 1 wherein said first pipe means comprises a general rectangular shape extending beneath and above the containers. I

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said first pipe means in- 

